Apparatus and method for selectively preparing reactive polybutene and nonreactive polybutene

Abstract

There are disclosed an apparatus and a method for selectively preparing a high reactivity polybutene, a midrange reactivity polybutene and a non-reactive polybutene in a single plant. The apparatus for selectively preparing a reactive polybutene and a non-reactive polybutene, comprises: a reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder for polymerization of the reactive polybutene; a non-reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder for polymerization of the non-reactive polybutene; and a reactor for polymerizing a reactant including isobutene into polybutene, wherein the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder provides a catalyst to yield the reactive polybutene; and the non-reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder provides a catalyst to yield the non-reactive polybutene.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for selectively preparing a high reactivity polybutene, a midrange reactivity polybutene and a non-reactive polybutene in a single plant, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 a reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder for polymerization of the high reactivity polybutene and the midrange reactivity polybutene; 
 a non-reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder for polymerization of the non-reactive polybutene; and 
 a reactor for polymerizing a reactant including isobutene into polybutene, 
 a neutralization and washing tank for adding water to the reactant discharged from the reactor to eliminate catalyst component from the reactant and neutralize the reactant; 
 a separation tank for eliminating water containing the catalyst component and discharging organic compounds remaining after removal of the catalyst from the reactant; and 
 a C 4  distillation tower for distilling unreacted C 4  from the organic compounds supplied by the separation tank and discharging the remaining organic compound, 
 wherein the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder provides a catalyst to yield the high reactivity polybutene and the midrange reactivity polybutene; and the non-reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder provides a catalyst to yield the non-reactive polybutene, and 
 wherein the catalyst provided through the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder comprises a Lewis acid selected from the group consisting of boron trifluoride, boron trichloride, aluminum trichloride, and zinc chloride; and the catalyst provided through the non-reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder comprises a Lewis acid selected from the group consisting of aluminum trichloride, zinc chloride, and iron chloride. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus for selectively preparing a reactive polybutene and a non-reactive polybutene as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the high reactivity polybutene is a polybutene having a terminal vinylidene content greater than 70%; the midrange reactivity polybutene is a polybutene having a terminal vinylidene content in the range of 40 to 70%; and the non-reactive polybutene is a polybutene having a terminal vinylidene content less than 40%. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus for selectively preparing a reactive polybutene and a non-reactive polybutene as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst provided through the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder comprises boron trifluoride as a main catalyst, water or an alcohol compound as a cocatalyst, and alkyl ether as an auxiliary cocatalyst. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus for selectively preparing a reactive polybutene and a non-reactive polybutene as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst is provided to have the content of boron trifluoride in the range of 0.05 to 1.0 part by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of isobutene; and the non-reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst is provided to have the content of aluminum trichloride in the range of 0.05 to 1.0 part by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of isobutene. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus for selectively preparing a reactive polybutene and a non-reactive polybutene as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder uses any one method selected from the group consisting of: (i) a method of placing and mixing a main catalyst including boron trifluoride, a cocatalyst and an auxiliary cocatalyst in the reactive polybutene polymerization catalyst feeder and then injecting the resultant mixture into the reactor; (ii) a method of injecting a main catalyst including boron trifluoride, a cocatalyst and an auxiliary cocatalyst into the reactor while gathering the main catalyst, the cocatalyst and the auxiliary cocatalyst together in a pipe to form a complex compound; and (iii) a method of mixing a cocatalyst and an auxiliary cocatalyst with a reactant and then adding a main catalyst including boron trifluoride.